DURHAM, NC - Citing the suspension of a planned train load of irradiated fuel rods from the defense industry due to possible terrorist attacks, environmental group NC WARN today called on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to block similar shipments by Carolina Power & Light to its Harris nuclear plant from three other reactors.  CP&L is the only U.S. utility transporting the deadly fuel rods.

In mid-October, the U.S. Department of Energy suspended a high-level waste shipment from New York to Idaho.  The move was revealed by the Nuclear Information and Resource Service, a Washington-based industry watchdog.  While the DOE won't openly admit the shipment was blocked due to security concerns, NIRS said, "Actions speak louder than words."

In a letter sent today to NRC Chairman Richard Meserve, NC WARN noted that DOE officials had twice ordered the shipment to resume after its initial cancellation on September 11th, and said "The fact that it was halted a third and final time reflects that there must have been a rigorous internal debate about safety - resulting in a decision that it is too dangerous to create a potential target for terrorists."  If attacked, concrete waste casks on a train could release a large amount of radioactivity into the atmosphere and/or a waterway.

"Every time I hear the train, I wonder if it's one that's carrying high-level nuclear waste," said Judy Hogan, a Moncure resident who lives within one mile of the tracks.  "The tracks go right through Moncure - and so close to people's houses.  I want CP&L to stop putting us at an unnecessary risk."

WARN told Meserve that it would be inconsistent, and in this case highly dangerous, for one federal agency to contradict another's findings regarding public safety involving trains carrying nuclear waste.  "Why should CP&L be allowed to create targets out of slow-moving nuclear waste trains just so it can save money?"  said Ellen Pietroski, an NC WARN organizer.  "This is an entirely unnecessary risk to the public."  She said the counties through which these train shipments pass have no emergency planning for an accident, nor are there any evacuation procedures in place.

Earlier this year, the NRC approved use of two additional cooling pools at the Harris plant after refusing to consider the warnings of top experts working for Orange County, that a terrorist act could initiate a catastrophic nuclear waste pool fire.  Today, WARN told the NRC chairman, "Without your action, central North Carolina will be home to the nation's fastest growing nuclear stockpile - with four reactors feeding one waste site - and a potential target that grows larger each time CP&L refuels any of its reactors."

On October 10th, public officials from three counties called on CP&L itself to cease transporting waste.  They and NC WARN also called on the company to attend an upcoming meeting to discuss measures they say could greatly reduce the potential targeting of the company's nuclear plants - and possibly prevent a radiation release even if a plant were attacked.

Today, NC WARN urged Meserve to stop CP&L's nuclear waste shipments permanently.  Shipments should at least be halted pending open hearings, with public and local government involvement, in order to fully evaluate the risks of transport versus alternative means of managing the nuclear waste, along with a comprehensive environmental impact statement.   The letter called for Meserve to copy his reply to Sen. Helms, Sen. Edwards, Rep. David Price, and Attorney General Ashcroft.

Pietroski added, "In the current 'War on Terrorism,' CP&L's shipments and crowded waste pools put the citizens of central N.C. on the front lines with no defense to speak of, scanty information, and no evacuation plan for a very large potential accident zone."